Meetings of Life
by Pen Sil
Summary: AU. A Pharaoh and a Princess. Separated not only by society but by death as well. But what is magic for if it is not to make sure they will meet again?
1. Of Flutes and Dancers

**Chapter 1: Of Flutes and Dancers**

* * *

The first time Mana found them together was on the night of his twenty-first birthday. Her friend had been suffering from loss of sleep and she had been worried to death about him - until a guard told her that he was staying in the gardens at night, and then she was just pissed because he was not listening to his needs - _again!_

So now it was almost midnight and she was stomping her way down the stairs in the main hall, glaring at the guards, and cursing her best friend. He should know better! He was pharaoh after all! He had a duty to his people, and he couldn't fulfil that if he was staying up all night!

She slowed down her pace as she came outside and she stopped stomping as well. She was going to surprise him - though sneaking up on him had never worked before - and start yelling at him. She had it all planned out.

But then she entered the garden and she heard something she hadn't heard since she was sixteen. She stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of nostalgia that came over her. He used to play that tune all the time when they were younger. But … he had stopped when his father died.

What could have brought this on him?

She realized that there was more to his sleep deprivation than just staying in the gardens. She sneaked closer to the centre of the gardens and found a bush to hide behind. Just as she was getting ready to take a look at her friend the music stopped, and she stiffened, afraid that she had been discovered. Damn his amazing senses all the way down the Nile!

"You're going to have to do better than that to impress me," she heard his deep voice say. Was he talking to her?

Then there was a laugh, a female laugh, and she knew she hadn't been discovered. "Oh, yeah?" the voice was melodic and beautiful, but it was also playful. "I'll have you know I'm the best dancer in my whole country!"

"So either there aren't a great deal of dancers in Rome or they all just suck," he concluded.

Mana stiffened. _Rome?_ But they were in war with Rome! Or, rather, they weren't _yet,_ but if the Empire kept expanding like it did they soon would be at war with them. What was he thinking?

"My king, you are dishonouring me," the woman said. "What a great insult! There are a great many dancers in Rome and they all dance very beautifully."

And then there was a sound that Mana had not heard in a very long time. Her best friend was laughing! She made a hole in the bush that she was hiding behind in order to take a look. Her friend was sitting on a stone bench almost facing her, but he was looking at someone standing in front of him. Mana couldn't see her face, though she could clearly see that the woman was younger than Atem. She had long brown hair, which was braided messily and was wearing a sleeping robe.

What was going on here? Did he kidnap some Roman girl at night to keep him company? Hopefully he didn't do more than that…

"Then I must insist on calling you a liar," he said, in mock seriousness. "Because if every dancer in Rome dances beautifully you cannot be one of them, and therefore you cannot be the best dancer in your Empire."

She huffed. "Another great insult! What kind of king are you to insult the daughter of the emperor!" Mana stiffened. What had he done? "I shall personally make sure your kingdom falls at our feet!"

"Is that a threat?" and he was grinning. "What are you going to do? Dance for them all?"

The Roman princess threw her arms in the air and spun away from him. Now Mana could see her face. She was beautiful indeed, with her deep sky-blue eyes that were so alive it almost hurt to look at, and her skin was white, something Mana rarely saw. But right now the young princess looked hurt. "Take me home." She was biting her lower lip. "I don't feel like listening to this anymore."

He sighed and rose. "Anzu," he said in a tone Mana had never heard him use before. It was a tone that she had heard her parents use, heard others use when they were speaking the name of someone they cared deeply for, and she knew now why he took this risk. "You know I didn't mean to hurt you."

His hand landed on her shoulder and it was so painfully obvious that he wanted to hold her but couldn't.

He guided her to the bench and started to play a more soothing tone - it was the one his mother had taught him, she remembered.

"That's a beautiful tune," she whispered when he stopped.

He sighed and stood. "The only one my mother could play. Father always teased her."

"Did they love each other?"

Atem nodded.

She sighed wistfully. "I envy you. To be able to marry out of love," she said. "I'll have to marry out of duty."

He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. "I won't ever be able to marry the one I love," he told her. "So we're in the same boat."

Anzu stared at him for a long while, but said nothing.

"Let's get you home."

Mana stared at the point from where they had disappeared. It never seized to amaze her. The Pharaoh's power was indeed great, and she wished she could be a better mage herself.

She rose and went back to bed. She would leave him alone for now.

* * *

So, here I am with my first multi-chaptered fic.

I hope you will enjoy it.

I'm not going to babble about how I got the idea, it came from so many angels and developed all the way, so it would just be too confusing. Now... as it says on my profile: **This fanfic will be updated regularly as I have already finished writing the whole thing. It will be updated every saturday and if I forget please PM me!** *stops yelling* xD I hope you will all follow these two until their happy ending.

Thanks to my amazing beta, Claire, who is also an amazing author and a real gramma nazi. I love her very much xD check out her user, which is called **_Xx Clear Dawnlight xX_**

- Pensil


	2. Of Anger

Chapter 2: Of Anger

* * *

He might not have noticed it himself, but he was angry. So angry that people, even Seto, got out of his way and made sure to please him. Not even Mana teased him. Of course, his people saw nothing of this. He was a fair ruler and did not let his qualms bother them. But they noticed that the young man wandering the market every once in a while had disappeared - they had all known who he was.

He was sleepless in a way he had never been before. The fact that he was used to several hours a night in somebody else's company didn't help him either. But she had suddenly told him off. Suddenly told him never to see her again, that it was better that way, and it hurt. It tore at his heart.

He had known all along that her smiles would one day be stolen from him, and the two years they had spent together had been a long dream, a dream that was really a miracle because they had had such a long time together.

_"Happiness is something we borrow for short periods of time_," his father had told him long ago, when his mother had died.

He knew he would never have her, he knew that, but… a part of him was yelling, kicking and screaming. It was swearing that even if he had to invade all of Rome he would have her back. But he would not put his people in danger because of his emotions. That was what a pharaoh was, and what a pharaoh would always be; a man who took the security of his people over his own wellbeing.

But that didn't mean it didn't still hurt him.

* * *

Yes, it's short, but my chapters in this are not always long...

I had forgotten that yesterday was only friday, but I gotta keep my promises, nee? ;)

Again, thanks to my lovely beta who helped mem when I could not figure out how to formulate something; what I had written in some sentences was completely aweful!

It'll be a little while until the next is patient, I hope you guys can wait a whole week. Thanks for your reviews

- Pensil


	3. Of Sorrow

**Chapter 3: Of Sorrow**

* * *

It hurt her more than anything to tell him off, to tell him never to come to her again, but what could she do? Her father had figured them out and there was only so much she could do to save his kingdom. She knew he loved Egypt in a way that she did not love her own people. Her people, who fought and destroyed; her people who wanted power by making others suffer.

If she did not do as her father said he would destroy Egypt, leave nothing but sand, blood and corpses. He'd even destroy the holy pyramids of Atem's ancestors. All this would surely hurt him more than losing her… right?

Of course they would both suffer but then… wouldn't it go away? The pain would numb and everything would be as it should be. What was best for him, and what was best for her. That was what was important. Not what they wanted, not what _she_wanted, at least.

But then…

His beautiful crimson eyes, filled with hurt, haunted her in a way that she had never experienced before, and she dreamt of their meetings, of things that had not happened, and would never happen.

Even when her father announced her engagement to someone she did not know, the dreams still came.

It didn't matter to her that she was getting married, it was something that would happen sooner or later, and she had no say in it. She just had to produce an heir and then she could waste away for all her people cared.

* * *

ach! How could I have FORGOTTEN? It's almost evening and I had completely forgotten about uploading! *headdesk* I blame it on the fact that I'm sick. And I had even asked my Beta to read this yesterday! *groan*. Well here it is, Thank you all for reviewing and thanks again to my awesome beta!


	4. Of Marriage

**Of marriage

* * *

**

When he first heard of her marriage he locked himself inside his quarters for two days and on the night of the third he decided to go to her. What else could he do? He knew exactly where her room was, so he wouldn't get caught.

He knew that she would be angry, but he needed to see her one last time before she would be given away to someone else.

"What are you doing here?" she all but spat in his face. Her eyes moved to the door for a second. "Do you know what would happen if they found you here?" She moved to close the door to her balcony and turn off the light - as if she had gone to sleep. It was the best option she had.

"I heard you were getting married," he said, shrugging. Why was she so panicked?

She sighed and rubbed her temples. Then she started pacing. "So what? That has nothing to do with you."

He rolled his eyes. "No, it has nothing to do with me; it was foolish to come here."

She spun and he could see the flaming anger in her eyes. "Yes, it was! Do you know what I had to do to keep you safe?" She slapped her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened.

"What?" he was confused. Who wouldn't be?

She sighed, and fell back onto the couch. Now she had no choice but to tell him. "My father found out about our… outings. He gave me a choice; get rid of you or see Egypt burn."

He stared at her for a very long time. "And you thought not telling me this would keep me away?"

She nodded. "I hoped hurting your feelings would make you so angry with me you'd never want to see me again."

He sighed and moved to sit beside her. "I wish I could see a way out of this… if I had been any other man I would have taken you with me and left everything behind." He kissed her forehead gently. "But my people still need me." He stood. "I'm sorry, Anzu."

And then he was gone.

* * *

She cried herself to sleep several nights after that for she knew he would hate her and never come to see her again. She didn't even live her life fully after that; couldn't. It was like watching herself in a dream. She went through her daily routines. She smiled when she had to.

Then it was the night before the wedding, and she suddenly woke up. There was something like electricity in the air. She didn't like it. It was as if something was going to happen, something she did not like.

She could do nothing about it, and she went to bed that night with her heart crumbling for she knew then that she would never see him again.

* * *

Ahhh... update, update, update AND updated! xD yay

Now guys we're almost at the end of the first period (there are two, as you will see)

Once again thanks to my AWESOME beta who takes her time to edit my CRAPPY grammer - thanks xD

And once again thanks to you awesome reviewers - though I haven't seen a lot of you *glares at readers*

ah mum is threatening to kill me if I don't go eat breakfast right about now ;)

c'a next time

- Pensil


	5. Of Foresight

**Chapter 5: Of Foresight

* * *

**

It was a year after her marriage and she was quite content with her surroundings. Well, that was what everyone thought. Even her husband, but she didn't see much of him so it was easy to fake a smile in front of him.

The Empire was growing, but not in Egypt's direction, thank the Gods. Her father had left not long after her marriage in peaceful sleep. Her husband was a good ruler, and she was happy that her father had chosen well. She spent only one night with him every month, and it took some of the pressure off of her.

But she missed her friend. She missed Atem. She had felt free with him, as if there were no duties, no expectations and she could choose what she wanted to do.

This hole in her being lead her to lock herself up in her room once in a while, to give up dancing, but no one noticed as long as she smiled and ate at the large gatherings.

She was suddenly growing ill and her husband took great interest in her. He called several doctors, and they soon told him something interesting. She was pregnant. The information made her smile. A child, that was good news...

And so the Empire rejoiced in the news and soon enough it reached Egypt. A different Egypt, though. An Egypt in trouble, with a pharaoh at war with several sorcerers.

Atem was pacing in his chambers when he got the news. Not from rumours or travellers but from his priestess Isis, who came rushing in. "My Pharaoh!"

He turned to glare at the Guardian. "What is it?"

"Empress Anzu of Rome is pregnant with an heir," she said.

His glare intensified. "And what does that have to do with the present situation?"

"You have to go to her tonight," she told him. When his eyes widened with concern she continued. "I have known all along why you have not been yourself this past year, my Pharaoh. You love her." He nodded. "And you already know what will happen the following days." He nodded again, his face neutral, which worried her. "Don't you want to see her one last time?"

He turned his side to her. "I know what I have to do," he said. "But I don't like it." He turned back. "Will the birth run smoothly?"

She shook her head. "She will die in childbirth."

His eyes widened, and he moved to his bedchamber. The priestess followed him slowly. Her eyes widened when she saw what he was holding. "My pharaoh! When did you get those? They were -"

"Yes, they vanished with my mother," he said. "Into my drawer. I found them one day a few years ago."

Isis could not help but stare at the two pieces of jewellery. These were the Gems of Reincarnation. If used correctly it would bring two lovers together again in another life many years later and give them a second time. One was read and one was blue, the blue was in a necklace and the red in an earring.

"Make sure I'm buried with this in my ear," he told her.

"Yes, My Pharaoh."

* * *

Anzu had locked herself in her room once again. Not that anyone noticed. The news had probably reached him by now. Would he visit? She doubted it. But if he did, she mused he'd probably do it around this time, when he would usually visit her. She sighed.

"Why the sad face? Aren't you supposed to be happy when you're told you'll be a mother?"

She jumped and turned around to see him standing where he always stood. And then she was running to him, almost tackling him to the floor, crying her eyes out, repeating, "I missed you so much!" She felt his arms tighten around her and she fought to calm herself. He could not be here with good news. She took a step away to take a look at him. He was thinner than she remembered him. Had he not been eating? He looked tired too. "Why are you here?"

He forced a grin. "I came to see the mother to be," he said. "I'm trying to imagine that the child growing in your womb is mine, or at least that you'd actually get to see him."

She stared at him. Had he just said that? She didn't know what was worst, the fact that he had admitted that he had wanted her to carry his children or that he had just said she wouldn't see her son. "What do you mean?"

"Remember when I told you about the millennium items?"

She nodded. "Remember the necklace?" She nodded again. "I was told today by the bearer of that necklace that -" he swallowed, looked down, and his eyes grew sorrowful "- that you will die in childbirth."

"What?" she gasped. It was as if he tore her heart out. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't speak. Everything around her darkened. "No! No, you're lying!" she closed her eyes, feeling hot tears running down her cheeks. "Stop it!"

He moved to grab her hands before she became destructive. She fought him, for several minutes. "Don't lie to me," she whispered as she finally gave up.

His arms circled around her and he held her, as she cried. "I'm not," he whispered, feeling his tears roll down his cheeks. "I'm not."

"Won't I be able to see my son?"

"No," he admitted.

"Will I at least be seeing you the next few months?"

Atem felt his world spin. He felt the ground sway, as he explained the situation to her. When he finished, she started crying all over again. He knew he had hurt her, but he needed her to accept the truth.

* * *

As dawn broke he offered her his last gift. She accepted him, and told him what she had wanted to tell him for so long.

"I know," he kissed her forehead, his hand resting on the back of her head. "I love you too."

She smiled and nodded, one last tear rolling down her cheek. "I'll see you later."

He nodded, and then he was gone.

* * *

Homework is ruining my great days of writing *curses*. And yet I still remember to upload. It IS the only good thing about weekends now-a-days. Here is the last chapter in their first life. I hope you enjoyed reading it.

Thanks to my beta; she was a complete LIFESAVER this time around. You won't believe how much I messed this chapter up!

See you next week

- Pen


	6. Of New Beginnings

**Of New Beginnings**

* * *

New York's afternoon traffic was suffocating as usual, but somehow it didn't truly bother the customers in the small Starbucks knockoff. It didn't bother Anzu either. Why should it, when she had grown up here, lived here for twenty-two years?

She was sitting by the window, staring at the busy street in front of her. _Everyone is always in such a rush_, she mused. It was nothing like the life she wanted. A life without rush and stress, when people didn't have weird expectations. Well, except her father's expectation that she finished her education. Fair enough, he was paying for it after all.

Besides she loved her subject…

"Hey, 'Zoo!"

She looked up to see one of her best friends, Jounouichi Katsuya, walking up to her. The tall young man was someone she had known most of her life. Their fathers had a business together, though Jou's father was a real drunk.

"Hi, Joey," she said. She couldn't help but smile, he was after all like a brother to her, and although he could be slightly annoying, he was still a pleasant sight. "What's up?"

A grin broke out across his face. "I finally found you a tutor!"

"What?" She frowned. "I said I wanted someone to discuss the subject with, not someone to explain it to me!"

He sat across from her with a sigh. "I know, 'Zoo," he said, can't I tease you once in a while?"

She rolled her eyes. "You can, just make sure I find it funny as well."

"But you find nothing funny!"

She huffed and crossed her arms. "I find plenty of things funny!"

He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again and pulled his phone from his pocket. "Jounouichi speaking… yeah, I did say that… well, come on down here if it can't be helped… what's the name of the place? It's called…"

"Coffee King."

He repeated it. "Okay… yeah, I'll see you in a bit."

"So who is this guy?"

He leaned back and was about to answer when his phone vibrated again, he looked at it. "Sorry, it's Shizuka."

Anzu nodded. "Better see what she wants." She watched him as he spoke with his younger sister. Had it not been for their father, she would still be living with their mother, blind. Jou was very protective of his younger sister, and Anzu could understand this. He was just as protective of her, so it really wasn't anything new. "Sorry, 'Zoo," he said, as his phone disappeared down his pocket. "I gotta run, it's important."

She smiled ruefully. "So you're just going to fix me up with a guy and then leave me to meet him on my own? Very nice, Jou, very nice indeed."

He sighed. "I said I'm sorry, and he's a nice guy," he assured her. "He wouldn't hurt a fly."

"I'm not exactly a fly, am I?"

"Just meet him."

"You owe me a favour, Joey!" she yelled after him.

He laughed as he opened the door. "I thought you were the one owing _me_ a favour!" And then he was gone. _Damn him!_

So she sat there for another ten minutes, sipping her coffee, in peace. The door opened with a_ding_-sound and she looked up, to see a young man standing in the door. His dark eyes were moving across the room, and stopped when they found her. They widened and a small smile tugged at his lips.

He moved across the room with a silent grace, a … she didn't know how to describe it. He had an air of … importance about him… like an old king.

"Anzu Mazaki?"

She nodded, dumbfound. What had Jou done? This guy was… gorgeous! Okay, his hair was a little weird, but she had seen worse. His skin was more tanned than the average New Yorker, and his eyes had a deep violet colour.

She nodded. "How did you know it was me?"

He raised an eyebrow as he sat down. "What do you mean?"

"Well, when you entered you looked around and stopped at me…" she trailed off.

He didn't hesitate. "Joey sent me a picture with a text-message saying he had to visit his sister," he said. She nodded, and the silence fell for a moment. It was as if she had lost the ability to even open her mouth, not that it was going to be any help at all as her tongue was stuck to her throat.

Finally the young man in front of her opened his mouth. "So… how is this going to work?"

"Well… first of all I'd like to know your name," she said. He seemed to be genuinely shocked by this statement of hers, why this could be she could not imagine. His body seemed to tense and he leaned a little forward in his seat. "Is something the matter?"

His shoulders relaxed once again, and he leaned back again. "Well…" and he paused, "I had expected that Jou had at least told you what my name was." She shrugged and shook her head. "Well… it's Atem Mouto."

_Atem_… had she heard that somewhere before? Probably not, even though it was a pretty uncommon name. Through her musings she felt herself smile and heard herself say "it's nice to meet you, Atem."

"Likewise."

He was twenty-four. Two years older than her, but they soon fell into talk about pharaohs, wars, kings, queens, the inquisition and much more, and any differences or qualms about the other quickly disappeared. Well, that was how Anzu felt it, she couldn't know about Atem. The guy seemed a mystery to her as she was usually good at putting people in boxes. But this guy… whenever she thought she had put him in the right box, he said or did something that threw her completely off balance…

* * *

Right at this moment, I'm like this: SHIT I ALMOST FORGOT TO UPLOAD! *panics*

Thank goodness I remembered!

Thanks for your reviews I hope to see more of them, and thanks to my beta who always use her time on my work xD

Until next time

- Pen


	7. Of Winter

**Of Winter**

* * *

As it was, Atem was at a loss as to what to do. He had thought that she would have remembered by now, and when Jounouichi told him she was seeking someone to discuss her subject with he had thought it a sure hint. But it wasn't.

He knew she would remember eventually, but how long that would take he didn't know and he knew that he couldn't wait forever. He would hate that. On the other hand, it was fantastic to spend time with her once again. Her smiles and laughter soothed his soul, her clever and sarcastic remarks kept him on edge and sometimes she had that glint in her eye from back then.

Most of it seemed very positive and therefore there were only two remaining questions:

1. Why could she not remember him yet?

And 2. How should he move on from here?

His magical powers were nothing compared to what they had been when he had been pharaoh; he could barely see the dead now. Because of this he could not help her in that way. He had no access to the ancient texts - yet, this was why he had chosen to study history, so he would one day get to study them once again - so he could not get any knowledge from them. All he had to work with was his intuition, and whatever he could gather about her life. This was, of course, not a bad thing.

Winter came, a season he hated, and apparently one she loved.

"Aww, come on Atem," she pouted, making her blue eyes as big as she could. "Why won't you come with me?"

His glare intensified. "Are you crazy? Isn't it enough I dislike the cold? Do I really have to run around on frozen water while doing so?"

"Yes!" Her hands landed on her hips. "Atem, you cannot lock yourself up in here all winter!"

He felt his eyes grow wide. "I haven't locked myself in my apartment, I still go grocery shopping and to lectures!"

"And from what I gather that is the only things you do," she glared. "Atem every other season - well in the autumn and summer I've known you - you're out and about, doing loads of things! So yes! You have locked yourself up in your apartment!"

He sighed, and watched her for a moment. "I dislike the cold."

The look on her face contorted for a moment and he was sure she'd stomp her feet and walk out of the apartment. Then her face suddenly softened, and her eyes became gentle. "Why is that?"

"I was once living in much warmer places," he admitted. "Places that never saw snow."

"When you were a child?"

"Yes." Well… that wasn't technically a lie.

"Is that why you're so tanned?"

"Yes." Another half lie, but he couldn't tell her the truth. This was not a subject he would have liked to discuss with her. It was not something she should be asking about. If he could not answer her truthfully he did not want to answer her at all.

* * *

"I told you we shouldn't have done this," he chided her as he pulled a blanket around her. He laughed when she tried to pout but sneezed instead.

"Shut up," she said. "Why am I the one sick, when you're the one who hates the cold?"

He chuckled and handed her the hot tea, which had been brewing in the open kitchen. "You are the one sick because you didn't wear proper clothes in the winter. Now _I _on the other hand had no problem keeping warm," he said, pointing to the overly large jacket hanging in the hallway.

She laughed at the picture of him in that and he supposed it was good that she could still laugh at a time like this, and though he was joking around with her, he was still very worried.

"Atem," her voice was small, but gentle. "Don't be so worried. It's only a cold."

He nodded and sat beside her. He knew he was too influenced by his past life. In his time as pharaoh no one died of colds, but they died of other sicknesses, and it wasn't pleasant to watch your people suffer.

"Sorry. I can't help it."

Her hand landed on his upper arm and he felt a chill run through his body. "I know."

He turned to see her smile, and though her nose was red and her hair unruly from a bad night of sleep she was still beautiful. She looked so much like she once had, though he admitted that the modern clothes suited her better than those of ancient Rome.

"Is it really necessary for me to stay here?" she asked, breaking through his reverie.

He nodded. "Jou and Shizuka are out of town, your father too," he told her. "You know that." He paused to sip his own tea. "I'd be worried out of my mind if no one else was there twenty-four/seven to take care of you -"

"Liar! You just don't want to go out of your apartment, out in the cold to go to my place every day!"

"Don't take me so lightly." He glared. "I have proper clothes, it wouldn't bother me."

She rolled her eyes. "This is still more convenient for you."

"And for you," he said. "You could cough yourself to death in the middle of the night and no one would know. At least I will be there to watch you suffer now," he sent her a grin.

"That's a nice prospect," she muttered and handed him her empty mug. "More tea, please."

"Your word is my command."

* * *

Ugh... I'm sick... I hate it. WHY?

Oh well... some stupid bacteria is not gonna make me unable to keep my promise! *poses and then starts coughing* dammit *cough* dammit...

Thanks for reviewing xD and thanks to my beta

- Pen


	8. Of Possession

**Chapter 8: Of Posession**

* * *

His name was Niel O'Connel.

He was studying biology, and he was pretending to like history to get close to Anzu. But of course, Anzu being as dense as she was, she could not see it. Which really surprised him, but he did not complain. Anything to prevent a fiasco like the one they had experienced in their earlier life.

And though it seemed selfish, he made a decision when she decided to introduce O'Connel to their meetings; he would make sure nothing would happen between them.

The guy had short blonde hair and blue eyes, and Atem could read the annoyance with his presence as soon as the guy saw him. He smiled wistfully as she introduced them. At least he wouldn't feel sorry for the guy.

"So I was thinking," Anzu continued when she had ordered her hot chocolate – though it was already spring, the day was unusually cold – "That we should cover this…" She pulled out an old book. "We haven't spoken very much of the Romans yet."

Atem eyed her for a moment. _Interesting_. "That's a lot of ground to cover, Anzu."

Her cheeks reddened a little. "I know," she said, "but I thought we could cover it over the next couple of weeks."

He nodded and pulled the book over to his side of the table. He scanned through it. "This is a pretty old book," he muttered. "Where did you get it?"

She shrugged. "I found it on my shelves a couple of weeks ago," she said. "I think… well, either I found it in the antique store - you know I used to go there a lot - or it was one of the books I inherited from my mother."

They continued to talk. Anzu, easily following the conversation, seeming to forget that they weren't alone that day; Atem being fully aware of the nuisance sitting beside Anzu, but making sure that he would not be able to follow their conversation.

He also entertained the thought of playing a little with the boy's mind. He wouldn't mind doing a little mind-crush, though he hadn't used that technique since he had been fourteen and decided to take revenge on his little brother's bully. How entertaining it would be to use his greatest psychological weakness against him and see him suffer in an institution for the rest of his life.

Then again, there were other, easier ways to get the nuisance away from her, and he would use those, so that she would not be angry with him when she later recalled what she could not remember now.

Only an hour into their discussion his work bore fruit. O'Connel rose, announced that he should be going but asked if he could have a moment with Anzu. She obliged, excused herself and Atem watched them go.

Though he usually deemed one of his talents beneath him - only for that Tomb Robber to Bakura whom he had spent his high school days glaring at - he now used it to its full extent. Eavesdropping.

_"I'm sorry, Anzu, but I don't think I'll be coming to your meetings."_

_"Why not?"_

_"Didn't you notice how Mouto completely controlled your conversation?"_

_"Are you accusing him of manipulating the conversation so you wouldn't be able to say anything?"_ There was defence, but also anger in her voice. _"Why would he do that?"_

_"Maybe because I'd be able to ruin his plans!"_

_"What plans?"_

There was a pause for a moment, and when he looked out the window he was half out of his chair. O'Connel was kissing her! He saw her eyes were wide open, shock written all over her expression, her body language… She was shaking …

Then when he was out of his chair, ready to storm out the door and pull them apart, he saw her arm lift, and she slapped him. _Yes!_ Atem felt a smirk tug at his lips and he slowly sat down again. This should be fun - he hoped.

_"What the hell do you think you're doing?"_

_"I was trying to show you that he's trying to monopolize you! __To show you that -"_

_"Shut up!"_she turned to walk back into the café. _"I don't have to listen to this."_

_"Don't you see the way he's looking_ -" Anzu opened the door, and Atem could hear the last words clearly "- at you?"

But she ignored him, and walked back to her table. She glared at Atem's smug expression. "You seemed to enjoy watching that."

"Yes, though I have no idea what was just going on." _Lie._

She sat down with a sigh. "Liar," she accused him. "You could see it all along… what he wanted from me."

He nodded. "I could."

"Why didn't you warn me?"

He eyed her for a moment. "Would you have wanted me to accuse him of wanting you to your face while he was present?" Her cheeks reddened. "You wouldn't. Therefore I decided to do what I could to drive him away from you -" she opened her mouth to protest "- as you clearly weren't interested."

"You're good at reading people," she muttered.

He shrugged. "It is a good skill to have," he admitted, "though I rarely use it on purpose."

She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

And so they sat there for a long while without saying anything. Atem knew she was angry. He could see it in the way she was tapping her foot, her shoulders were tense, her mouth a firm line and her eyes narrowed. She shipped her tea once in a while, but remained glaring at him.

"You know," she finally said, "I cannot decide if I should be completely angry with you and just stomp off or if I should just carry on if nothing happened."

Atem raised an eyebrow. "Should I not have interfered?"

"Well -"

He rolled his eyes and learned back in his seat. "At least I was here when he made a move, since you obviously didn't see that he was interested in you."

"Are you _trying_ to pick a fight with me?"

He shrugged. _Better to get it out now, than let her walk around with these thoughts in her head_. "I wasn't the one making a scene, so I'm not the one you should be angry with."

"Oh, you're just _infuriating_!" she told him, as she rose, and grabbed her bag to go.

* * *

Ah xD I remember having a LOT of fun writing this. And I couldn't really help myself when I first came up with this little plotline xD I feel kinda sorry for little O'Connel actually *grin* the kid didn't stand a chance *laughs evilly*

*clears throat* Anyways, thanks for your reviews (and here I'mma start a little experiment) please review again, and tell me what you think.

Thanks to my beta *glomps her* she's a great help!

See you guys next saturday

- Pen


	9. Of Loneliness

**Of Loneliness**

* * *

Should she have acted like that?

Should she have stormed out of the café like that?

She really didn't know! He had just been impossible. How dared he pick a fight with her, when he knew her so well? He knew exactly what buttons to press when he wanted a special reaction, no matter who it was.

It didn't really matter that he had just tried to drive an unnecessary problem away, but that he had known exactly what he had been doing and how he should do it. That he picked a fight with her afterwards was just… no.

No, _she_ had been the one provoked by his actions. Because of what O'Connel had said… when she had looked him in the eyes after her little fight with O'Connel she had seen something completely dark that she had never noticed in him before… possessiveness. It had frightened her and driven her to anger. She had been making assumptions. She had assumed that he thought that he owned her, but… he hadn't even given any sign that he actually had any romantic interest in her.

Problem was that now that she thought about it, now that she gave thought to the subject of a relationship with him, it made her curious. Every time she thought of the gentle smile he sometimes sent her, as if she was someone important to him, it made her stomach do funny flips and…

Anzu started pacing again. No, that wasn't the problem at hand. She had to find a way to make it up to him again, at least to let him know she wasn't angry anymore. Although… he probably already knew that. He always knew, which was weird, 'cause it had been like that from day-one, as if he had known her for much longer…

She shook her head, and turned to a whole other matter at hand. Her father had finally taken his time to look through her mother's stuff and say good-bye to her. This of course had resulted in him sending her a box with some things her mother had wanted her to have.

The first thing she found was an old, dirty stuffed teddy bear. It was blue and was missing an eye, and for some reason she could not remember it._Weird_.

The next thing she found was her two diaries, one she had written when she was thirteen and the other when she was fifteen. One was just a bunch of complaints, from a young girl trying to be an adult - or like anyone else. The other was more interesting. It told about how she had been having weird dreams, but not what they were about. She couldn't remember what they were about.

Then there were grade-books, one for each year. She smiled as she remembered. She had always been good in all her classes - not always the best, but a long way from failing.

And the last thing she found was a letter. _Uh-oh_, this would probably result in some crying. She opened it, feeling weirdly calm. It was written on two pages, but there was something else inside of it. A necklace… it was a silver-chain with a turquoise-blue-coloured stone hanging from it. A sudden feeling of regret came over her, like someone pouring a bucket of water over her. It was uncomfortable and she felt like crying even though she had not even taken a look at her mother's letter yet. But it was a different kind of crying… as if she had lost someone that she had not been ready to lose - though she could have lived without losing her mother, this was another type of loss she felt was completely different. She had accepted her mother's death a long time ago, but this… it was as if she had lost a part of who she was… why did she feel this way? It confused her and didn't make sense.

She was able to put the necklace on the table and let the feeling go, or so she thought, but it stayed with her for the rest of the day.

In her mother's letter, the last few lines were dedicated to that necklace. She had been born with it. The doctors had been puzzled as to why she would - could - not open her hand when she had been born, and they feared she might never be able to open it. But then, a couple of hours later she opened her hand, and there it was. Her mother was puzzled, and when her father - strict as he was - told her to get rid of it, she hid it instead as she thought that there was a reason why her daughter had been born with it.

* * *

_"Anzu?"_

She jumped - she hadn't even heard the phone ringing.

_"I know you're home," _it was Atem. _"Why haven't you called me yet? You're usually not angry with me -"_

She grabbed the phone and answered it. "Careful you don't provoke me again," she threatened.

_"About time you -"_

"Atem."

_"Sorry. Why haven't you called me yet?"_

"You don't waste any time do you? I've been busy."

There was a pause, as if he expected her to continue, but she did not. _"Neither do you, it seems. So, why have you been busy?"_

She sighed and pulled the necklace up again. "Dad finally found the courage to go through Mom's stuff."

_"Oh?"_

"Well… apparently she wanted me to have some things, included a couple of diaries, and a letter," she said. "Nothing special."

_"That sounds cool."_

"It's just some embarrassing stuff I wrote as a kid, really."

_"Mind if I come over? It'd be nice to have something to laugh at."_

She rolled her eyes and forced herself not to laugh. Typical. "No way, Atem! You'd just use it later as ammunition against me."

_"Why would I do that?"_

"Oh, you're just that kind of person… but," she paused, for a minute, considering. "I do have something I want to discuss with you. So it would be nice if you -"

There was a knock on her door, and her eyes narrowed. "How long have you been standing out there?"

_"Just a couple of minutes."_

"Since you called me?" she unlocked the door, and opened it slowly.

He sent her a grin and closed his cell phone. "Probably," he said. "I was worried, as you've usually called me by now, so I thought it best to check in on you."

Wasn't that a little bit overprotective? Well, he did see her as a very important person in his life, that much she knew. What he was to her, she did not dare move into. It was a dangerous area that she felt would change much if she went there.

"Anzu?" Worry flashed in his eyes and she forced a smile.

"Sorry, Atem," she said. "Come in."

She felt his eyes on her as she let him in. It wasn't unusual for her to feel his intense gaze on her. It had always been like that. He took off his boots and jacket and she lead him into the living room.

She handed him the last part of her mother's letter and told him to read the few lines about the necklace. As his eyes quickly scanned the page, his facial expression turned more and more emotionless.

When he handed the letter back, he looked her directly in the eye and what she saw there was not only a seriousness so grave she lost her voice but also a sadness that shook the ground beneath her feet. "Can I see the necklace?"

"S-Sure," she stuttered. "Is something wrong?"

"No," he said. "This just explains a lot."

She handed him the necklace, all the while forcing herself to ignore the feeling of something missing. He grabbed her wrist when he was about to pull back and moved her hand up as if to study it.

For some reason warmth spread throughout her whole body when he touched her, and though she felt embarrassed her shoulders seemed to relax instinctively. "Wha-What is it?"

"Your hands were shaking," he observed, let go and looked her directly into her eyes. "Are you alright?"

"S-Sure," she said. "I just get this weird feeling whenever I touch the necklace."

He held it up, and studied it. "Are you sure? It looks fine to me…" he unlocked it and held it up. "Here." She tried to protest, but he didn't listen.

She sucked in a breath at the chills that went through her body when his fingers graced her collarbones. The pendant felt cold against her neck but there were no feelings of anything missing. It was gone, and now it only seemed a memory.

"And what about now?" he asked, when he let go of the necklace.

She shook her head. "It feels fine… but…"

A small smile replaced his serious expression. "See? You're probably just feeling lonely because you were going through some of your mother's stuff."

* * *

Ahh... finally able to upload xD the holidays got to me and I had completely forgotten about my update yesterday. I usually ask my beta to look through the chapter during fridays but, well the holidays got to me and I forgot about it. When I remembered today she had dissapeared. but now she's back *glomps*

Hope you like it xD we're finally moving forward, huh? Only missing 9 chapters.

See you on saturday

- Pen

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P.S. please relivew ;)

P.P.S. odg! I'm such an idiot, I meant 3 chapters - thanks for misunderstanding Sara ;)


	10. Of Dreams

**Of Dreams

* * *

**

_They were laughing again. It wasn't unusual, really. They always were. It was their code, their way of showing everyone how good friends they were. It was politics, diplomacy._

_These parties were always boring, and she hated being there. But she had to be. She was his pride, his most treasured gem - even if she was a girl, and not a boy. It didn't matter. She would still be able to give birth to an heir - they just needed a new emperor._

_She sighed and rested her chin in her hand. What was the use?_

_"Papa?"_

_The men looked up and almost seemed offended that she had actually spoken. But one just smiled warmly at her. "What is it?"_

_"Would you mind if I took a stroll in the gardens?"_

_He hesitated. "Of course, but be careful, Anzu," he said. "Some of the people here might not be our allies."_

_A small smile tugged at her lips. "Don't worry, papa," she said. "I'm sure they won't harm the daughter of the emperor."_

_She spun and walked off._

_The gardens were beautiful at night. It was silent and she heaved a sigh of relief - finally away from their eyes, she relaxed her shoulders. She lifted her skirts and skipped off into the labyrinth. She loved moving around and dancing - especially when the nobles of the empire weren't at court. When her father wasn't holding court the whole thing was a little better -then she could spend her days in the library, studying._

_She halted when she turned a corner to the rose garden. The labyrinth had stopped and she had ended in her favourite place._

_But she wasn't alone as she usually was._

_She let her skirts down. He didn't seem to have noticed her yet, and she tried to straighten up._

_He was tall, tanned, with weird hair and…_

_He turned, his eyes widening at the sight of her, and cleared his throat._

* * *

Anzu shot out of bed, her skin covered in cold sweat and her right hand clutching her necklace. She was breathing heavily. She slowly let her hand fall to her side, and stared off into the dark room.

What was that?

She shook her head and looked at her clock. 6:30. On a weekend! She groaned.

It wasn't the first time she had had these dreams. Since… she didn't know when it had started. It was disturbing and not always a nice experience. This one had been quite pleasant, and lots of her dreams seemed to happen in gardens.

Other weird things seemed to revolve around her. A flute was constantly playing in her head, and there was a tug of loneliness that only seemed to leave her when…

There was a sound outside her room and the blood seemed to run cold in her veins. She bit her lip and grabbed her phone ready to call Jou or Atem. The steps moved outside her door and she saw the knob turn.

It opened slowly, and Atem's spiky hair came into sight.

"What's wrong?" he looked perplexed at her troubled expression.

"What are you doing here?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You fell asleep on the couch. Remember?"

Anzu looked around and realized she wasn't exactly at home. Slapping her forehead, she said "Sorry, Atem. I guess I forgot."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Why are you up? You usually sleep in."

She shrugged and looked away. "Just a bad dream."

"Oh."

The smile stayed, and his eyes glinted. He had that expression that told her that he knew something she didn't, but she was a little too … confused - yeah that was a good word to use. She was confused because whatever she was dreaming of it seemed more like chapters in a good book than anything else. As if someone was telling her a story.

A sudden noise startled her out of her thoughts and she blushed.

Atem just smirked. "Someone sounds hungry," he said, "let's get something to eat."

"Sure."

It was weird, and kind of comforting, to stand there in Atem's kitchen and make pancakes. A warmth spread in her whole body and she felt more at home here than she ever had. Spending time with him had always been like that, but this… waking up here, and preparing breakfast. It was different.

She suppressed a smile. It wouldn't be entirely bad to live like this, she admitted to herself. And maybe… just maybe there had always been an attraction. But, she decided, that shouldn't change their relationship. They were friends, and he obviously didn't see her in any other way.

"What's on your mind?"

"Huh?"

"You seem very distracted," he continued as he turned a pancake expertly. "You usually aren't this quiet…" She shrugged. "Was it the nightmare?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "And…" she trailed off, suddenly unsure of herself. The plate in her hand had stopped its movement towards the table. "It wasn't exactly a bad dream… it was just… weird."

"You've been having a lot of weird dreams lately," he muttered and put the pancake on a plate already filled with a mountain of them. It was actually kind of funny that such a serious young man as Atem ate almost as much as their friend Ryou Bakura, or Jou for that matter. "Haven't you?"

She didn't ask how he knew. Atem just knew things like that.

They didn't talk about it anymore and when she had eaten she thanked him for letting her borrow his bed. He smiled and told her she was welcome to use it any time she wanted. With a teasing glint in his eye he reminded her that she had once filled it with gems.

The dreams didn't go away and it wasn't long before she got the rest of the dream she had woken from. The problem was that when she woke she knew exactly who the young man in the rose garden had been. And she didn't like it.

* * *

After reading this AFTER my beta had read through it I realized how much I actually LIKE this chapter. I don't know why it seems to give off a warmth that I had forgotten IS in some scenes. xD It makes me want to smile. I hope this chapter makes you smile just a bit :)

We're getting closer to the end here, guys xD only **one chapter** and **an epilogue** to go!

Thanks for your reviews I'm looking forward to the ones I get on this one *grin*

Thanks to my lovely beta!

See you next saturday

- Pen


	11. Of Reincarnation

**Of Reincarnation

* * *

**

Anzu was at a loss for what to do. She knew now… she knew now that something was going on and that Atem wasn't telling her everything. All these dreams. He was in them, and … and as weird as it sounded they must have been pieces of a past life. She had never really thought of these things before, and now that the reality seemed to be shouting things in her face the truth seemed more and more unlikely.

She had not stopped dreaming even when she had realized these things and the more she dreamt the more she knew it must have been real. Dreams weren't like that. They weren't this detailed, they weren't filled with emotions and they didn't make it feel like she was living it right at the moment she was dreaming. It was too real.

But then… it put her in an awkward position, because… if these were memories from a past life, then… wouldn't Atem have lived it as well? Had he already remembered? Was it no coincidence that they had met? Had he been toying with her all along? No… he wouldn't do that. He cared too much.

Giving more thought to it, she realized that at times it seemed like had had been laughing at his own private little joke, that he had seemed to know things about her she had never told him, and … that knowing expression when she had told him about the dreams…

"_This just explains a lot."_

She remembered that comment, when she had told him about the necklace. She absentmindedly touched it and then pushed away her books. She couldn't concentrate in any case. And he had insisted that she wore it… It was just too much of a coincidence.

The fact that she had clearly loved him then… and realized she did now, would just have to be ignored.

* * *

It came out of nowhere. Okay… maybe not out of nowhere. She had been having dreams ever since she started wearing that necklace a few months ago.

It had only been a matter of time before she confronted him, and he had decided then that he would tell her everything, if she was willing to listen.

And she usually was… she had always been accepting of things.

But she was also impatient when it came to getting her answers. And so, she had tackled him to her couch one afternoon. Shock had held him in place, not knowing what she intended, which was probably the reason she found it so easily. She even had the nerve to pull it out of his ear and he almost immediately sat up.

"Don't do that!" he exclaimed. It was his link to the past. His link to her… as long as she did not know what she would in time. "It's –"

He was interrupted as she held the earring up in front of both their faces and then she pulled something out of her pocket; her necklace. He hadn't even noticed that she hadn't been wearing it. Stupid, really. "I knew it," she muttered. And then she fixed him with a harsh glare. "I am going to ask you a series of questions, Atem. If you don't answer them truthfully, I swear, I'll never talk to you again."

He nodded - nothing to be afraid of then. "I promise I will answer every question truthfully."

She nodded. "Good." And then she hesitated, her hands falling onto her lap.

He slowly reached out and gave them a gentle squeeze. She didn't seem to be able to ask them so he decided to help her. If he was right in his assumption of where she wanted to go with this, then he could understand her anxiety. "Why are the necklace and earring matching?"

She nodded, and then seemed to swallow something.

"Because they were created together."

"How … why did you have one? And I the other?"

"I was born with mine."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, half in wonder and half in annoyance. "So was I," she mumbled, "but that doesn't answer the question."

"I know."

"Why didn't you answer it then?"

"I'd rather you asked me another first."

"Which one?"

"How about," he hesitated, "what are you to me?"

He watched her swallow. "No," she muttered, looking away, her eyes growing sad. "I don't want the answer to that one. But… I have another one, and if my assumptions aren't right –"

"They probably are."

"Okay," she sighed, half in frustration. "Have I… lived before?"

"Yes."

"Have you lived before?"

"Yes."

"Did we know each other then?"

"Yes."

She repeated the question he had refused to answer earlier and his eyes grew sad. "Because I knew you were going to die."

This startled her. She had not expected something like that. "They are Gems of Reincarnation," he said, "sometimes also referred to as The Meetings of Life. They were a treasure of the Pharaoh's family until one pharaoh decided to be buried with one of them. The other had mysteriously disappeared."

She sat for a moment. "You gave it to me?"

He nodded.

"Why?"

"Because I loved you."

She bit her lower lip and looked away. "And I accepted it because I loved you as well?"

"Yes," he said, his voice hoarse with pain. "Because we couldn't be together then. Because we hoped that –" he felt his voice crack "- that we could be happy – together – the next time we met."

Anzu bit her lower lip and entangled her fingers with his, the jewelry lying on the couch below their hands, almost forgotten. "Do you love me now?"

He tightened his grip on her hands a little, and what he said came out barely as a whisper. "I have from the first day I started dreaming of you."

"Then…" she muttered, "is it the past me that you love or…?" she trailed off, refusing to look into his eyes.

He felt a smile surface. It was just so her to think like that. "Anzu," he said, and she looked up, surprised at his gentle tone, "you are you, no matter how many times we live. My feelings for you will only grow stronger as the years pass. I thought… I thought I might not be able to love the person you are now the way I did the person you were then but… but the wish to always have you here, with me, has only grown stronger. My feelings are for you alone, but our bond through time only makes them stronger."

A tear rolled down her cheek, and she lightly kissed him. Keeping their faces inches apart she asked him; "Will you tell me the rest?"

"Of course."

And so he did. He told her everything. Described their every encounter down to last detail, and she added what she knew, so that they, finally, when they were finished, knew more than they had when she had still been wearing the necklace a few hours ago.

* * *

Hold on now, we're almost there :)

Thanks for your reviews and thanks to my beta for having so much patience with me - apparently I had some "silly mistakes" this time.

- Pen


	12. Meetings of Life

**Epilogue: Meetings of Life

* * *

**

She had yet to tell him that she loved him. He wasn't surprised. She needed time to get used to the thought. After all, he had used almost all of his teenage years to figure his dreams out, and though she now knew the whole truth, memories still haunted her, and they weren't always pleasant.

This was one of the reasons why he offered her to stay with him until they faded, until she had remembered all there was to remember. And she was getting closer; the dreams, memories, had become worse.

The first few nights he had slept on the couch while she had borrowed his bed, but at some point during the third night the dreams must have become too harsh. He had woken as she had sat beside him on the couch, her beautiful blue eyes swimming with pain.

He didn't say anything, just moved so he was lying as far in as he could and patted the free space beside him. Sighing in relief she lay down and as he moved his arms so that he was holding her; she hid her face in his shoulder. Wishing he could force the memories to surface all at once, but knowing he couldn't, he did the only thing he could.

The many nights to follow, they shared his bed. She slept more easily now, but he woke immediately if she had a nightmare, and the final night when she dreamt the last of her memories she was crying even before she woke.

"I could see his face," she sobbed afterwards. "Blue eyes and black hair. Dark skin."

Gathering her more securely in his arms he whispered, "I'm sure he was beautiful. He was your son after all."

"But –"

He shushed her. "Sleep," he said. "This was the last one."

"How do you know?"

The smile tugging at his lips won easily and he let his thumb run over her bare shoulder. Slowly, he exhaled. "I've been through this too, remember?" She nodded. "And what you experienced here was your last memory, right?"

"Yeah," she muttered.

"So now you remember everything, even if the last parts were painful. Therefore you should not have any of these dreams anymore," he told her.

"Can you still play the flute?"

"Yeah."

"Will you play for me some time?"

He laughed. "Will you dance your silly dances for me then?"

"They were not silly," she muttered and pushed him a little away. "And they aren't now!"

"I beg to differ," he said, winking at her. He had the satisfaction of watching her blush. Moving in he kissed her on the forehead, as he always did. Holding back until she had remembered, had accepted him, he never did kiss her. The only time they had done so was the short one Anzu had given him on that day, and so it would remain until the day she told him otherwise. "Feeling better?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Thank you."

"Will you be able to sleep?"

"No," she muttered and sat. "But you should just go back to sleep. You have lessons in the morning."

A small smile crept onto his lips and he sat up as well. "Don't worry about me," he said. "Want some hot chocolate?"

She hesitated, and then smiled. "Sure. Thanks."

Slowly things seemed to go back to normal. The memories seemed to subside for other things. Exams were coming up and so was her mother's death's anniversary, which she spent back in Japan with her father. It was a sad affair but she had learnt not to cry, after all, her mother's words always seemed to echo in her mind whenever she considered crying:

"_Don't cry because it is over. __Smile because it happened."_

And she thought of what she had gone through with Atem, what she had remembered and … what she wanted to happen in the future. She wasn't sure if she loved him. The emotion wasn't the same as it had been last time, but she knew that he was the most important person in her life and she could not bear the loss of him.

The more she thought about it the more confused she became. Being with Atem felt like home in a way she had never experienced before. It was comforting and safe, and though they argued she had never been truly angry with him. But she also started doubting her emotions. Questions like 'is it just because he has confessed to me?' started surfacing in her mind and she could not ignore them.

When she was with him, though, everything – all the doubts and questions – seemed to disappear for a much stronger emotion, and it wasn't even the homey one.

Something else…

He graduated that year at the top of his class, and with so many job offers he couldn't decide which one to take.

"I want to stay in New York," he mumbled to himself, as she handed him a cup of tea. "But I would also like to see the world."

Sitting down beside him, she to a letter from the pile. This one was from Egypt. How could he be so attractive? Was it just because he had graduated with such a high mark? "Then why not do that?"

He snorted. "And leave you here? No way."

Sighing she put it down again. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," he said. "We can travel next year."

"But –"

"No buts, you're just being difficult."

Glaring his way, she decided it was time to slap some sense into his head. "Don't sacrifice your career for the sake of -!"

"I never wanted a big career," he interrupted her. "But maybe a daughter of a world famous billionaire, like yourself can't understand that."

There was a glint in his eyes that told her that he was teasing her. "I hate it when you tease me."

A crooked smile replaced the grin. "Then it sure is a pity that I love to tease you so much."

"I love you too." The words were out of her mouth before she realised what she was saying. The response had been automatic, coming from the heart and bypassing her brain entirely.

Atem's jaw fell and his eyes widened. He stared at her for so long it made her wonder if he'd ever blink again. Growing self-conscious she blushed and looked down. His tanned hand moved into view and he gently grabbed one of hers. Slowly she looked up and met violet eyes.

"Did you just say that?" he muttered, disbelief and hope showing clearly on his face.

She felt her cheeks heat up. "You heard me," she answered almost darkly. It really wasn't that surprising, was it? When the words had finally left her mouth it suddenly seemed as natural as anything in the world. And… hadn't she already admitted it to herself when she had first realized what the dreams were that she loved him? What had made her forget and doubt herself?

It didn't matter.

"Did you mean it?" his voice had never been so quiet and she swore he'd never have to be unsure of it again.

"Yes."

And then he kissed her… with a force she had not expected. She had been kissed by no one but Atem in this life and what had happened so long ago with the husband her father had chosen for her then, had never even lit a spark. It had just been, and it was nothing like this. Her whole body seemed to tingle and she finally realised exactly what she was feeling when with Atem:

_Happiness._

Afterwards she couldn't help but tease him. "You still haven't decided which job to take."

"I'm staying right here," he told her and found a specific piece of paper. It was from the university. Snatching it out of her hands before she could read it properly he ignored her protests and pulled her closer. "And now I shall take a nap."

Trying pout and failing miserably she said: "You sure know how to change a subject," he cracked an eye open to watch her. "Fair enough, I_am_ a little sleepy."

The violet eye closed once again, "Good."

* * *

The house wasn't grand, like the place she had grown up in, but as they studied the rooms she realized that this was where she wanted her children to grow up. Well, she thought as she absentmindedly rubbed her growing belly, her _child_.

And it wasn't only hers. She smiled as she remembered what she had told her husband after she had told him she was pregnant: _"So, this time you won't have to imagine that the child is yours."_

"What do you think?"

She turned to smile at him. It had been five years since they had met again, and only a few months since they had gotten married. He had proposed to her many times through their four years as a couple, and she had refused him all the while. Sometimes it amazed her that he had stayed. But then she became pregnant and something changed in her; she wanted a family now.

"I want this one," she told him, finality in her voice.

He smiled. "Good, then we agree."

She narrowed her eyes. "And you're not just saying this because you want to –"

"To give you whatever you want?" a smirk appeared on his lips and a glint in his eyes. "No~… of _course _not."

"Atem!"

"Don't worry, Anzu," he said, his voice turning serious. "I want this place as much as you do."

She hesitated, studying him. "Okay," she said, when she had made sure he meant it.

As they signed the papers a few days later, they both thought the same thing; _We can be happy here._

_

* * *

_This is SO weird! I can't believe it's already over! I really enjoyed writing this and I'm very happy about it :) I had a break in it for a little while because I didn't know how to continue but then I sat down a few months later and re-read it and I finished it within a week :)

Thanks to all of you for supporting me through this little journey of theirs. I enjoyed all your reviews and I am very grateful that you took your time to read it.

Thanks to my beta for sticking up with me!

Love you all

- Pen


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